Michigan

Utah and more scheduling thoughts

Monday's addition of Utah officially put the finishing touch on the 2008 University of Michigan football schedule (and unofficially completes the least compelling home schedule in recent memory with games against Utah, Miami of Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Toledo, Michigan State and Northwestern).

In a way, that's OK. A young team breaking in a new quarterback, tailback, left side of the offensive line and (probably) two starting wideouts deserves a lighter touch in non-conference scheduling, at least for one year.

What happens after 2008 is where things get interesting.

Season ticket holders are clearly frustrated by Bill Martin's standard non-conference scheduling formula of Notre Dame, two Mid-American Conference teams, and another mid-level or low-level home opponent (be it Vanderbilt, Appalachian State or Utah). Martin has promised some future upgrades to that approach, but is conspicuously vague when asked what that means.

A home-and-home with Cincinnati would cost Michigan the revenue of a home game and add an opponent with the marque appeal of Utah or Vanderbilt. Furthermore, a trip to Cincinnati doesn't meet Martin's self-proclaimed goal of getting the team to areas of the country where alumni rarely see the Wolverines.

The only way Michigan should be playing Cincinnati is as a contract opponent in Michigan Stadium.

If you're going to sign another home-and-home with somebody, go all in and get a game with Texas or Georgia or another national-level powerhouse. That'll get folks fired up and end any and all criticism of the schedule, at least for a few years.

Yes, it might cost you a loss, but what the heck fun is college football going to be if you're only going to risk non-conference losses against Notre Dame?